Your Weekly Callahan

Part 1: "There's Nothing Wrong With Cleaning"

By MARK ZUSMAN

Careful readers of WW know that for 27 years, the irreverent voice of cartoonist John Callahan graced the pages of our paper. 

Until Callahan died in 2010, the quadriplegic, whose disability masked a ferocious work ethic, drew cartoons, made music, created TV shows, wrote books—all with a sadness that was exceeded only by a piercing wit's eagerness to poke at propriety.

Last year, his friends and family announced the John Callahan Memorial, which will be built on a small pocket park off of NW 21st Avenue and Marshall Street.  An anonymous donor recently gave $100,000 for a matching grant to be used to raise money for the memorial. Donors who give a minimum of $100 will receive a copy of "Touch Me Someplace I Can Feel," the award-winning 2007 documentary about Callahan.

Over the next several weeks, we will be running short clips from that film, thanks to the generosity of director Simone de Vries and producer Jan de Ruiter.  For more information about the memorial, please go here. 

WWeek 2015

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